


Promise Rings

by FindYourAnchor (DustyHalo)



Series: Foxverse (Sterek Bingo 2019) [10]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Some Fluff, Stiles Stilinski is Eighteen Years Old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-30 20:28:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19035043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustyHalo/pseuds/FindYourAnchor
Summary: After events with the ghost riders Stiles gives Derek something special.





	Promise Rings

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sterek Bingo 2019.  
> Themes: Other Realms and Derek Deserves Nice Things

Derek let his eyes fall closed as Stiles ran a hand through his hair. It was getting late but neither of them were ready to part yet. Not after just finding each other again after the wild hunt.

He could remember it clearly now. How the ghost riders had ripped Stiles from his arms, pulling him into another realm and leaving Derek without even a solid memory of him.

It was nearly losing control and shifting that had made him realize something was wrong. He’d tried to call up something to anchor himself but only found an emptiness that left him cold.

Scott had been there. Concerned. Upset.

Derek had hung his head as he panted through fangs that he'd lost his anchor.

“It's anger Derek.” Scott had looked so confused. “It's always been anger.”

Derek had shaken his head as he dug claws into the palms of his hand. He had barely felt the pain with the aching void that thrummed inside him. He could hear a whisper in the back of his mind when he pushed back against that emptiness. A voice that he was sure should have been louder than a hollow echo. _Remember that I love you_.

“Stiles,” Derek had breathed the name and Lydia had furrowed her brow in confusion.

“What the hell is a Stiles?” She’d asked.

They’d worked together to figure it out. All of them. Even Peter.

But when they remembered and the portal to the ghost rider’s realm had opened Stiles hadn’t stepped through and when it closed once more Derek had felt the last of his hope slip away. He hadn’t cared who saw his tears in that moment, or who heard him howl in anguish.

The world of the ghost riders had started leaking into their own with railroad tracks and train whistles. That was when Stiles had shown up swinging a baseball bat into Garrett’s head. Stiles had hugged Scott first because he was closest but then he’d spotted Derek and run to him.

They’d held tight to each other while Stiles whispered, “You remembered.”

Stiles scent and warmth and presence solidifying the memories Derek had recovered.

Derek had kissed him for the first time since that day in the woods. Overwhelmed by emotion and needing something more than a hug or a fox kiss. No one had faulted Derek for it. Especially since Stiles was eighteen so they weren't breaking any rules other than self imposed ones.

They'd won in the end. Defeated Garrett. Defeated the ghost riders. They were gone now. Back to their own realm Derek assumed. At least he hoped that was the case.

Derek was having a hard time letting Stiles leave now. Now that it was all over. Now that they were all safe. He wanted him to stay the night with him. The way they used to back before Stiles couldn't hide what he was from other supernatural creatures, and creatures that sensed his powers like a beacon. Like the ravens had.

Derek had his head in Stiles’ lap. His face turned towards his stomach so all he smelled was Stiles. His scent calming Derek’s frayed nerves.

“This is nice,” Derek murmured.

“It is. Yeah,” Stiles said softly and Derek could almost hear the smile in his voice.

“Remind me again why we can’t just stay like this all night?”

“Because my dad wants me home before eleven after everything that’s happened.” Stiles reminded him then whispered, “He never said you couldn't come over you know.”

Derek smiled at that. With how sore and worn out he was from healing the wounds he'd received when up against one of the ghost rider's whips he wouldn't argue going if Stiles asked him to, and he didn't think Noah would have a huge problem with him showing up. He'd made it rather clear he supported their relationship.

“There was something I wanted to give you earlier. Before they took me I mean,” Stiles said and Derek opened his eyes to look at him. “This is probably corny. Actually it’s probably really corny but…” Stiles dug into his jeans pocket and drew out two matching silver bands.

Derek stared at the rings. His lips parting and his eyes narrowing in surprise at them before looking up at Stiles.

“They’re promise rings,” Stiles explained. “I’m leaving for university soon, and I just want you to know I’m serious about all this. That the way I feel isn’t going to change.”

Derek sat up and Stiles turned towards him.

“That I love you and one day, hopefully, I'll marry you.”

Derek blinked at him. He felt a little dazed because Stiles had just said he wanted to marry him one day. It was something he actually hadn't thought about. A part of him thinking Stiles, as much as he loved him now, might outgrow him.

Stiles looked at Derek, nervous and hopeful. “Would you wear it?”

Derek nodded as a smile spread across his face and Stiles smiled back. The nervousness falling away as he slipped the larger of the two bands on Derek’s left ring finger.

Derek took the ring Stiles was still holding and did the same for him. The way Stiles was smiling when he did that made Derek want to kiss him.

“I really want to kiss you right now,” Stiles admitted.

Derek leaned in and broke the rule once more but kept the kiss chaste because he knew how fast kissing could turn into more. Especially when emotions were high like they were now after getting Stiles back. After making a promise like this.

Stiles rested his forehead against Derek’s with a shaky breath.

“I want to kiss you again.”

Derek shook is head. “We shouldn't.”

“Can I just state for the record that the no kissing rule is stupid?”

“I'll make a note of it.”

Stiles let his fingers play through the back of Derek’s hair. “I'm eighteen now Derek.” He leaned in a little closer. “We should at least be able to kiss.”

“Kissing leads to other things.”

“It doesn't have to,” Stiles said softly as he leaned back in and Derek closed the distance without further prompting.

Derek’s hand cupped Stiles’ cheek as he kissed him and when Stiles’ lips parted beneath his own he accepted the invitation to deepen the kiss. Everything about Stiles drew him in. Not just the way his mouth felt beneath his own but the quick beat of his heart, the whoosh of his blood, the solid warmth of his body pressing into Derek. The contact just making Derek want to kiss Stiles more because he was real. He was real. He hadn’t been just a figment of Derek’s imagination. He was safe and with him again.

“The kissing rule is a dumb rule,” Derek agreed when their lips parted.

Stiles kissed Derek on the forehead. “The dumbest.”

“You’re eighteen.”

“Indeed I am.”

“And we’re capable of controlling ourselves.”

“Yes we are.” Stiles brushed his nose against Derek’s. The familiarity making Derek smile. “We do need to stop now though because I need to head home.”

Derek couldn’t quite hold back the sad whimper rumbling in his throat. He didn’t want Stiles to leave. Not yet. Not ever.

“Come with me,” Stiles offered.

“Okay.”

Derek got up after that and packed an overnight bag. He kept glancing down at the promise ring and smiling to himself as he got ready to go while Stiles asked him questions about other worlds. Some of the questions were well thought out and actually left Derek wondering after an answer himself. Others were things like, “You think there’s a world made entirely of ice cream?” Which just made Derek smile and shake his head.


End file.
